UPDATE: UCF student planned campus attack

Monday

Mar 18, 2013 at 7:37 AMMar 19, 2013 at 3:18 PM

Police find 4 explosive devices in a back pack in the dorm room where a 30-year-old James Oliver Seevakumaran committed suicide.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

A former student who plotted an attack at the University of Central Florida kept to himself and left little impression on his classmates before his suicide led to the discovery of his weapons and his plans.

James Oliver Seevakumaran was described as a loner both by police and in a brief statement from his family released Tuesday. Authorities planned an afternoon news conference.

One of his dorm mates said he recalled friendly but distant interactions with James Oliver Seevakumaran, while several others approached by a reporter said they didn't recall seeing or interacting with him. A roommate interviewed by a campus media outlet said Seevakumaran was an introvert who never had visitors.

On Tuesday, police tape and squad cars were gone outside the dormitory where police say the 30-year-old Seevakumaran had armed himself early Monday with two guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a backpack filled with explosives. They said he planned to attack other students as they fled the seven-story dorm where he had pulled a fire alarm to cause the evacuation.

Seevakumaran's plans were thrown off by campus police officers' quick response to the fire alarm and a 911 call from his roommate, who hid after Seevakumaran pointed a gun at him, UCF Police Chief Richard Beary said.

Arabo "BK" Babakhani, who identified himself as the roommate who called 911, told student publication Knightly News that he slammed the door on his roommate after seeing the gun and hid behind furniture.

Babakhani said Seevakumaran avoided eye contact, never had visitors to the dorm and never was seen talking to anyone on a cell phone.

"Instead of walking by me, sometimes he'll walk around me," the roommate said in an interview posted on the Knightly News website. "The only time he made solid eye contact with me is when he was pointing the gun at me."

Babakhani didn't immediately respond to messages left by The Associated Press.

Seevakumaran's family also said he was a loner who didn't have a history of violence in a brief statement released by authorities. AP reporters have also knocked on the doors of his mother and sister's homes, but no one answered.

Freshman mechanical engineer student Spencer Renfrow said when he would see Seevakumaran in the dorm's hallways and elevator, he would wave and Seevakumaran would wave back.

"Everything would seem fine," Renfrow said.

Some 500 students were evacuated from the dorm just after midnight Monday, and morning classes were canceled after police were called. In his room, investigators found four makeshift explosive devices in a backpack, a .45-caliber handgun, a .22-caliber tactical rifle, and a couple hundred rounds of ammunition, police said. They said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Roommates told detectives that while Seevakumaran showed some anti-social tendencies, he had never expressed any violent behavior. The business major, who held a job at an on-campus sushi restaurant, had never been seen by university counselors and had no disciplinary problems with other students, said university spokesman Grant Heston.

Police shed no light on a motive, but Heston said that the school had been in the process of removing Seevakumaran from the dormitory because he hadn't enrolled for the current semester. He had attended the university from 2010 through the fall semester.

Detectives found notes and other writings that indicated Seevakumaran had carefully planned an attack and laid out a timeline of what he wanted to do.

EARLIER: A University of Central Florida student who pulled a dorm fire alarm in the middle of the night had a more sinister plan than sending students scurrying out into the night, authorities said.

Campus police said Monday that 30-year-old James Oliver Seevakumaran — who shot himself in the head as officers arrived, before any other students were hurt — was armed with two guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a backpack filled with explosives and a plan to attack other students as they fled the seven-story dorm where he lived.

His plans were thrown off by campus police officers' quick response to the fire alarm and a 911 call from Seevakumaran's roommate, who hid in a bathroom after Seevakumaran pointed a gun at him, UCF Police Chief Richard Beary said.

"It could have been a very bad day here for everybody. All things considered, I think we were very blessed here at the University of Central Florida," Beary said. "One shooting is bad enough. Multiples would have been unthinkable. So, anybody armed with this type of weapon and ammunition could have hurt a lot of people here, particularly in a crowded area as people were evacuating."

Some 500 students were evacuated from the building just after midnight, unaware how narrowly they had escaped what could have been another Virginia Tech-style bloodbath. Morning classes were canceled, but most campus operations resumed around noon.

"The kid's bringing huge explosives in his room. So yeah, it could have been a lot worse," 19-year-old UCF sophomore Anthony Giamanco said shortly after arriving on campus Monday morning.

Roommates told detectives that while Seevakumaran showed some anti-social tendencies, he had never expressed any violent behavior. The business major, who held a job at an on-campus sushi restaurant, had never been seen by university counselors and had no disciplinary problems with other students, said university spokesman Grant Heston.

Police shed no light on a motive, but Heston said that the school had been in the process of removing Seevakumaran from the dormitory because he hadn't enrolled for the current semester. He had attended the university from 2010 through the fall semester.

Detectives found notes and other writings that indicated Seevakumaran had carefully planned an attack and "laid out a timeline of where he was going to be and what he was going to do," Beary said.

Police were first alerted when Seevakumaran pulled a gun on one of his roommates who called 911 and holed up in a bathroom, Beary said. Around the same time, Seevakumaran pulled a fire alarm, apparently to get other students out in the open, the police chief said.

Police officers responded to the dorm within three minutes of the first call.

"His timeline got off," Beary said. "We think the rapid response of law enforcement may have changed his ability to think quickly on his feet."

In his room, investigators found four makeshift explosive devices in a backpack, a .45-caliber handgun, a .22-caliber tactical rifle, and a couple hundred rounds of ammunition, police said. Beary said it appears his weapons and ammunition purchases began in February locally in Orlando.

Antonio Whitehead, 21, said he heard the fire alarm go off in the dorm and thought it was a routine event.

"All of a sudden, I felt the crowd move a little faster. And a police officer with a machine gun or something told everyone to start moving a lot faster," he said.

EARLIER: A University of Central Florida student planned an attack on campus but committed suicide in a dorm before carrying it out, authorities said Monday.

Materials found in his dorm room made it appear that 30-year-old James Oliver Seevakumaran planned a wider attack, authorities said a news conference.

Seevakumaran pulled a gun on another student, who then called police, said University of Central Florida Police Chief Richard Beary. He then killed himself with a shot to the head moments later as police officers were responding to the call.

"It could have been a very bad day for everyone here," Beary said. "His timeline got off. We think the rapid response of law enforcement may have changed his ability to think quickly on his feet."

UCF spokesman Grant Heston said the university was in the process of removing Seevakumaran from the dorm before Monday. Four makeshift explosive devices were found in a back pack, and Beary said he believes that Seevakumaran pulled a fire alarm in the dorm to get other students out in the open for an attack.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, UCF officials said Seevakumaran had not paid the university for this semester and was no longer an enrolled student. But UCF tried to take a "compassionate approach" and not immediately remove him from the campus residence, where he lived on the third floor of the building.

Seevakumaran's roommates told detectives that he had shown anti-social behavior but had never expressed any violent tendencies, Beary said.

According to Florida records, his only adult arrest in the state was in 2006 for driving with a suspended license. He pleaded no contest. He was fined $105 and assigned court costs of $223.

University police were called to the Tower I building around 12:20 a.m. after a fire alarm went off. Around the same time, the 911 call came in about a man with a gun.

Investigators said they discovered two guns and the makeshift explosives in the room where Seevakumaran was found dead.

About 500 students were evacuated from the building and morning classes were canceled.

EARLIER: A college student killed himself in a dorm at the University of Central Florida and investigators found explosives and guns in the room early Monday, authorities said, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of students and cancellation of morning classes.

University spokesman Grant Heston said normal campus operations resumed around noon after the makeshift devices were taken away from the dorm, which remained closed.

Authorities didn't immediately say what the student's intentions may have been.

"Obviously you never want somebody to commit suicide, but knowing what we know about what was in his room, we feel better at least that no one else was hurt," Heston said.

University police were called to the dorm around 12:20 a.m. after a fire alarm went off, Heston said. While they were on their way to the scene, a 911 call came in about a man with a gun.

Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a residence at the Tower 1 dorm. Heston said the man was a student at the university.

Heston said the dorm has suites, with a main kitchen and living area, along with four bedrooms. The dead man was inside one of the rooms. Inside the room, Heston said, police also found what they described as an assault weapon, a handgun and makeshift explosive devices. Florida law prohibits the possession of guns on state university campuses.

He said the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are helping with the investigation. The sheriff's bomb squad was examining the explosive devices Monday morning.

About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm, and Heston said it would remain closed until authorities give an all-clear on the building.

On Monday morning, flashing signs around the campus alerted students and staff about the canceled classes. The university said on its website that its main campus in Orlando has about 51,000 students, while satellite campuses add about 8,000 more.

The U.S. Department of Education ranked UCF as the second-largest four-year public university based on 2010 enrollment numbers.

Antonio Whitehead, 21, a junior from Hollywood, Fla., said he heard the fire alarm go off after midnight and thought it was a routine alarm. He headed outside where he saw a crowd already heading across the street from the dorm.

"All of a sudden, I felt the crowd move a little faster. And a police officer with a machine gun or something told everyone to start moving a lot faster," he said.

Whitehead, who has lived in the dorm for two years, said the students were moved to an open area about 1,000 feet from UCF Arena. The area is a busy section of the campus, with restaurants and shops nearby.

Grant Hernandez, 20, a sophomore from Orlando who also is a resident at the dorm, said he woke up sometime after midnight when police were evacuating the building.

"All we saw were people running, and they were not telling us what was going on," he added. "We were left unsure of things. It wasn't till about 6 o'clock that we got more information and a clearer picture of what was going on." He said officers on the scene began providing more information, and students checked updates on the university's website.

A statement there said the UCF Arena would open to accommodate displaced students. Counselors would be available to talk to students who need assistance.

The Tower 1 dorm is part of the school's popular Towers at Knight Plaza apartment building complex, according to UCF's website. Tower 1 has seven floors. The typical apartment layout has four bedroom and two bathrooms, the website says. Heston said the student who died had three roommates.

EARLIER: Authorities investigating the apparent suicide of a college student discovered weapons and explosive devices in a dorm on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando early Monday, and hundreds of students were evacuated, though the school said there was no immediate threat.

According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel: University of Central Florida officials have confirmed that the man found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound this morning was a student at the school and that there were also explosive devices in his dorm apartment.

FBI and other law enforcement officials made sure that the explosive devices found in the man's room can be safely removed from the building and from campus.

University police were called to the dorm around 12:20 a.m. after a fire alarm went off, UCF spokesman Grant Heston said. While they were on their way to the scene, a 911 call came in about a man with a gun.

Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a residence at the Tower 1 dorm. Heston said the man was a student at the university.

Heston said a fire alarm call registered for Tower 1, a residence hall for about 500 students located in Knights Plaza near the arena and Bright House Networks stadium, about 12:20 a.m. Monday. While UCF police were on the way, officers received a 911 call for a man with a gun in the residence hall.

Heston said the dorm has suites, with a main kitchen and living area, along with four bedrooms. The dead man was inside one of the rooms. Inside the room, police also found what they described as an assault weapon, a handgun and improvised explosive devices.

Heston said the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are helping with the investigation. The sheriff's bomb squad was examining the explosive devices Monday morning.

About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm and an adjacent parking garage was closed initially.

"We don't believe there is any imminent threat to the campus," Heston said.

The university canceled classes through noon Monday as a precaution. Flashing signs around the campus alerted students and staff about the canceled classes. Campus shuttle buses were lined up about a half-mile from campus, with drivers standing by once the campus opens.

Antonio Whitehead, 21, a junior from Hollywood, Fla., said he heard the fire alarm go off after midnight and thought it was a routine alarm. He headed outside where he saw a crowd already heading across the street from the dorm.

"All of a sudden, I felt the crowd move a little faster. And a police officer with a machine gun or something told everyone to start moving a lot faster," he said.

Whitehead, who has lived in the dorm for two years, said the students were moved to an open area about 1,000 feet from UCF Arena. The area is a busy section of the campus, with restaurants and shops nearby.

Grant Hernandez, 20, a sophomore from Orlando who also is a resident at the dorm, said he woke up sometime after midnight when police were evacuating the building.

"All we saw were people running, and they were not telling us what was going on," he added. "We were left unsure of things. It wasn't till about 6 o'clock that we got more information and a clearer picture of what was going on." He said officers on the scene began providing more information, and students checked updates on the university's website.

A statement there said the UCF Arena would open to accommodate displaced students. Counselors would be available to talk to students who need assistance.

The Tower 1 dorm is part of the school's popular Towers at Knight Plaza apartment building complex, according to UCF's website. Tower 1 has seven floors. The typical apartment layout has four bedroom and two bathrooms, the website says. Students on the scene Monday said there also are single-person apartments.

A spokeswoman for State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan said he was called this morning by UCF President John Hitt and told about the situation unfolding on campus.

"As far as we know no other students are in danger," Kim Wilmath said.

EARLIER: Authorities investigating the apparent suicide of a college student discovered weapons and explosive devices in a dorm on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando early Monday, and hundreds of students were evacuated, though the school said there was no immediate threat.

According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel: University of Central Florida officials have confirmed that the man found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound this morning was a student at the school.

Meanwhile, students who live in the residence hall where law-enforcement officers were investigating the apparent suicide and explosive devices found there early Monday have access to counseling on campus this morning.

None of the students leaving the area of the arena, where they were sent early this morning, were willing to speak with media as they left the building just before 8 a.m. Many of them appeared to be upset.

University police were called to the dorm around 12:20 a.m. after a fire alarm went off, UCF spokesman Grant Heston said. While they were on their way to the scene, a 911 call came in about a man with a gun.

Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a residence at the Tower 1 dorm. Heston said the man was a student at the university.

Heston said the dorm has suites, with a main kitchen and living area, along with four bedrooms. The dead man was inside one of the rooms. Inside the room, police also found what they described as an assault weapon, a handgun and improvised explosive devices.

Heston said the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are helping with the investigation. The sheriff's bomb squad was examining the explosive devices Monday morning.

About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm and an adjacent parking garage was closed initially.

"We don't believe there is any imminent threat to the campus," Heston said.

The university canceled classes through noon Monday as a precaution. Flashing signs around the campus alerted students and staff about the cancelled classes. Campus shuttle buses were lined up about a half-mile from campus, with drivers standing by once the campus opens.

Antonio Whitehead, 21, a junior from Hollywood, Fla., said he heard the fire alarm go off after midnight and thought it was a routine alarm. He headed outside where he saw a crowd already heading across the street from the dorm.

"All of a sudden, I felt the crowd move a little faster. And a police officer with a machine gun or something told everyone to start moving a lot faster," he said.

Whitehead, who has lived in the dorm for two years, said the students were moved to an open area about 1,000 feet from UCF Arena. The area is a busy section of the campus, with restaurants and shops nearby.

Grant Hernandez, 20, a sophomore from Orlando who also is a resident at the dorm, said he woke up sometime after midnight when police were evacuating the building.

"All we saw were people running, and they were not telling us what was going on," he added. "We were left unsure of things. It wasn't till about 6 o'clock that we got more information and a clearer picture of what was going on." He said officers on the scene began providing more information, and students checked updates on the university's website.

A statement there said the UCF Arena would open to accommodate displaced students. Counselors would be available to talk to students who need assistance.

A spokeswoman for State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan said he was called this morning by UCF President John Hitt and told about the situation unfolding on campus.

"As far as we know no other students are in danger," Kim Wilmath said.

EARLIER...Authorities investigating an apparent suicide discovered weapons and explosive devices in a dorm on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando early Monday, and hundreds of students were evacuated, though the school said there was no immediate threat.

University police were called to the dorm around 12:20 a.m. after a fire alarm went off, UCF spokesman Grant Heston said. While they were on their way to the scene, a 911 call came in about a man with a gun.

Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a residence at the Tower 1 dorm.

Heston said the dorm has suites, with a main kitchen and living area, along with four bedrooms. The dead man was inside one of the rooms. Inside the room, police also found an assault weapon, a handgun and improvised explosive devices.

Heston said the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are helping with the investigation. The sheriff's bomb squad was examining the explosive devises Monday morning.

About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm and an adjacent parking garage was closed.

"We don't believe there is any imminent threat to the campus," Heston said.

The university canceled classes through noon Monday as a precaution.

Officials have not said whether the dead man was a university student.

A statement on the university's website said the UCF Arena would open to accommodate displaced students. Counselors would be available to talk to students who need assistance.

A spokeswoman for State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan said he was called this morning by UCF President John Hitt and told about the situation unfolding on campus.

"As far as we know no other students are in danger," Kim Wilmath said.

ORIGINAL...Hundreds of students were evacuated early Monday from a dorm on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando after explosives devices were found while authorities were investigating a death.

Police were called to the dorm after a fire alarm went off. Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police told local TV stations they found an assault weapon and improvised explosive devices on the scene.

A university spokeswoman said the devices were found in Tower 1 dorm. Police said a bomb squad was sent to the campus.

About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm and a parking garage was closed.

The university cancelled classes through noon Monday as a precaution.

A statement on the university's website said the UCF Arena will open Monday morning to accommodate displaced students. Counselors would be available to talk to students who need assistance.

It was not immediately known whether the dead man is a student.

ORIGINAL...Hundreds of students were evacuated early Monday from a dorm on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando after explosives devices were found while authorities were investigating a death.

Police were called to the dorm after a fire alarm went off. Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police told local TV stations they found an assault weapon and improvised explosive devices on the scene.

A university spokeswoman said the devices were found in Tower 1 dorm. Police said a bomb squad was sent to the campus.

About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm and a parking garage was closed.

The university cancelled classes through noon Monday as a precaution.

A statement on the university's website said the UCF Arena will open Monday morning to accommodate displaced students. Counselors would be available to talk to students who need assistance.